Sagittarius New Moon Meditation for 2004:

Bring me my Arrows of Desire!
by Jean Hinson Lall

Bring me my Bow of burning gold!
Bring me my Arrows of desire!
Bring me my Spear: O clouds unfold!
Bring me my Chariot of fire!
        -- William Blake, "Jerusalem"

In the iconography of the Zodiac Sagittarius is depicted as a centaur, a powerful half-man, half-horse, armed with bow and arrow. The centaur’s powerful body moves swiftly toward far-off destinations; his mind strives with equal alacrity toward lofty intellectual and spiritual goals. His arrows (Latin "sagittae") course through the air toward precise targets. When Sun and Moon come together in this sign, it’s time to refresh our sense of vocation, to reflect on our goals and recommit ourselves to the quest for meaning, purpose and truth.

This New Moon we find Sun and Moon conjoined with the planets Pluto and Mercury. Mercury has been retrograde since November 30th, appearing to retrace its path in the sky. It reconnected with Pluto, then Sun and Moon, and now is at 16 degrees Sagittarius, aligned with the Great Attractor, the supercluster toward which our entire galaxy is being pulled by an immense gravitational force. It will continue its backward motion until December 20^th and then revisit the same points again as it moves forward. Mercury is the planet of awareness, communication, commerce, transfer of information, and alchemical change. A Mercury retrograde period is a "do-over," a time to back up take a second and third look at something, to get extra instruction or transformative insight in a certain area of life. Here in the sign of higher learning, philosophy and religion, Mercury’s backward motion and its repeat conjunction with the Great Attractor draw special attention to the great questions of life, the purposes for which we are here, the ultimate goals toward which we are drawn by destiny.

Pluto, remote and cold, takes centuries to complete an orbit around the Sun. This planet is associated with the ancient gods of the Underworld, meaning both the realm of the dead and the hidden riches beneath the earth’s surface. Psychologically, it may represent secrets, repressed or buried memories, compulsions, profound desires, and the force of instinct. Pluto adds depth to the all-important directive, "Know thyself." When we come to know our own "dark side" our ethical perspective is deepened and made more complex. Thought and action can now proceed from the reality of our nature, which has both its material (biological) and its transcendental aspects.

During Pluto’s transit through Sagittarius (1995-2008) the veil has been drawn aside to reveal some of the dark aspects of religions: fanaticism and intolerance (often based on fear), sexual exploitation, misuse of power and money, the worship of violence and the hijacking of theology and scripture to excuse murder, warfare and terror. Many people have taken the opportunity in these trying times to deepen their theology and their spiritual lives, seeking a foundation for faith and ethics that goes deeper than cultural mores or personal comfort levels. Pluto can help us to see the shadow side of our image of God and our belief system, so that we do not delude ourselves that all spiritual truth resides with us. It encourages us to value and regulate the instinctual side of human nature rather than condemn and repress it in the name of God. At the same time it may help us to see the religious impulse itself as a kind of instinct, something not to be blindly obeyed but to be treasured, nurtured and educated. Finally, Pluto may press us to recognize the value in religions other than our own, widening our understanding of the sacred. In academic studies of religion new attention is being given to animistic religions, the feminine aspects of the divine, and phenomena such as divination and shamanism which had long been devalued and marginalized.

In the New Moon chart, the ruler of Sun, Moon, Mercury and Pluto is Jupiter, which is placed in Libra, in sextile to Mercury and trine to Neptune in Aquarius. These are positive indications for mental insight, communication and inspiration. Jupiter is ruled by Venus which is in Scorpio ruled by and conjoined with Mars. Mars, ruler of Scorpio, is the chart’s final dispositor and echoes the Plutonian emphasis on depth and regeneration – as well as the Sagittarian theme of sharp instruments (Mars in Scorpio can be a surgeon!).

At this New Moon, clarify your vision of the goal. While Mercury continues its retrograde cycle, purify your intentions and prepare your tools. Face your difficult emotions – especially fear and anger -- then burn them in the heat of heart’s desire. Convert your mental conflicts into fuel for the fire. Grasp that bow of burning gold and sharpen those arrows of desire. Early in January Mercury and Venus will meet and conjoin Pluto, and Mars will catch up to Pluto later in the month. What is incubated now will be ready for mobilization then; chariots will roll!

2004 Jean Hinson Lall